CHEGA demands clarifications on Funchal housing and land use

The CHEGA municipal group in Funchal has submitted two formal requests to the Funchal Municipal Assembly demanding urgent clarifications regarding municipal housing management and territorial planning.

The first request targets the municipal company SocioHabitaFunchal, focusing on contract compliance and the collection of overdue rents. Municipal deputy Maria do Carmo Gomes stated that approximately one million euros in rent has remained unpaid for over a decade, highlighting a lack of oversight while hundreds of families remain on waiting lists. The party is seeking information on socioeconomic re-evaluations, contract terminations due to fraud or illegal subletting, and the criteria used for housing allocation following complaints regarding individuals with visible wealth occupying larger apartments.

The second request concerns Regional Regulatory Decree No. 16/2026/M, which froze approximately 29,000 square meters of land in Amparo (São Martinho) for future public housing. This intervention follows the municipal council's recent partial suspension of the Municipal Master Plan (PDM) to allow for constructions up to 20 floors. CHEGA expressed concerns regarding the potential subordination of local power to regional government decisions.